Chun-Ming Yen1,2, Chia-Wen Tsai3, Wen-Shin Chang3, Yi-Chin Yang4, Yi-Wen Hung4, Hsu-Tung Lee2, Chiung-Chyi Shen2, Meei-Ling Sheu4,5, Ju-Yu Wang6, Chi-Li Gong7, Wen-Yu Cheng8,9, DA-Tian Bau7,10,11. 1. Ph.D. Program in Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 2. Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 3. Terry Fox Cancer Research Laboratory, Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 4. Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 5. Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 6. Basic Medical Science, Department of Nursing, Hung Kuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 7. Terry Fox Cancer Research Laboratory, Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. datian@mail.cmuh.org.tw artbau2@gmail.com wycheng07@yahoo.com.tw. 8. Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. datian@mail.cmuh.org.tw artbau2@gmail.com wycheng07@yahoo.com.tw. 9. Department of Physical Therapy, Hung Kuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 10. Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 11. Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Abstract
AIM: Arsenic trioxide (As2O3), known as pi-shuang and the most toxic compound in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used as an antitumor agent for thousands of years. Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a natural phenol that has significant anti-bacterial, anti-fungaI and antiaging activities. Our study aimed to examine the combined anticancer effects of As2O3 and resveratrol against human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells, and elucidate the underlying intracellular signaling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SK-N-SH cells were treated with an extremely low-dose (2-4 μM) of As2O3 alone or combined with 75 μg/ml resveratrol for further comparisons. Cell viability, apoptotic signaling as well as synergistic cytotoxic effects were estimated using the MTT assay, microscopy observation, flow cytometric analysis for loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and typical quantitative western blotting analysis. Student's t-test, and one- and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for examination of significant differences. RESULTS: The combined treatment was more effective than single treatment of As2O3 or resveratrol alone in suppressing cell viability, which correlated with the elevation of ROS levels. The intracellular mechanisms of cytotoxicity of As2O3 plus resveratrol were revealed as ROS accumulation and relative decrease of MMP, leading to activation of caspase-3 and -9, but not of caspase-1, -7 and-8. Combination treatment reduced the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), BH3 interacting domain death agonist (BID), and BCL-x/L. CONCLUSION: Combined treatment at extremely low concentration of two agents from natural products, As2O3 and resveratrol, has high potential as a cocktail of anticancer drugs for neuroblastoma. Copyright
AIM: Arsenic trioxide (As2O3), known as pi-shuang and the most toxic compound in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used as an antitumor agent for thousands of years. Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a natural phenol that has significant anti-bacterial, anti-fungaI and antiaging activities. Our study aimed to examine the combined anticancer effects of As2O3 and resveratrol against humanneuroblastomaSK-N-SH cells, and elucidate the underlying intracellular signaling. MATERIALS AND METHODS:SK-N-SH cells were treated with an extremely low-dose (2-4 μM) of As2O3 alone or combined with 75 μg/ml resveratrol for further comparisons. Cell viability, apoptotic signaling as well as synergistic cytotoxic effects were estimated using the MTT assay, microscopy observation, flow cytometric analysis for loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and typical quantitative western blotting analysis. Student's t-test, and one- and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for examination of significant differences. RESULTS: The combined treatment was more effective than single treatment of As2O3 or resveratrol alone in suppressing cell viability, which correlated with the elevation of ROS levels. The intracellular mechanisms of cytotoxicity of As2O3 plus resveratrol were revealed as ROS accumulation and relative decrease of MMP, leading to activation of caspase-3 and -9, but not of caspase-1, -7 and-8. Combination treatment reduced the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), BH3 interacting domain death agonist (BID), and BCL-x/L. CONCLUSION: Combined treatment at extremely low concentration of two agents from natural products, As2O3 and resveratrol, has high potential as a cocktail of anticancer drugs for neuroblastoma. Copyright
Authors: X H Zhu; Y L Shen; Y K Jing; X Cai; P M Jia; Y Huang; W Tang; G Y Shi; Y P Sun; J Dai; Z Y Wang; S J Chen; T D Zhang; S Waxman; Z Chen; G Q Chen Journal: J Natl Cancer Inst Date: 1999-05-05 Impact factor: 13.506